Skipping Stones
by Shefali12
Summary: Who knew something as simple and menial as tossing stones could be exactly the opposite of that?


**Disclaimer:- As is quite obvious, I do not own Harry Potter as much as I wish I did**

* * *

Lily fumed, "Why can't you just admit you were wrong?"

"Me?" he asked incredulously. James grinded his teeth, shaking his head so slightly, "Because I shouldn't have to when I wasn't wrong in the first place. If you hadn't been so bloody stubborn we wouldn't be in this mess."

"So it's my fault now that it is inexplicably difficult for you to understand the meaning of a simple 'no'? What do you want me to do? What would be beyond a clear indication of my obvious disdain for you?" Lily retorted coldly.

The words stung, certainly. But he wasn't about to it.

"'No' would suffice if you weren't so lacking at providing clarity or did misconstrue what you meant when you wondered why we didn't talk more this morning. Funny, I should have understood that a genuine smile displayed your resentment for me. Silly me," James finished dryly, crossing his arms.

Lily glowered at the stack of papers of the desk in front of her.

Obstinate silence filled the room with neither prepared to budge on their proclamation. Their chairs were placed side by side in front of the headmaster's desk. The worst of it was over with only detention and twenty points deducted from each respectively.

As the silence became glaringly obvious, James let slip from his mind the reason he was partaking in maintaining the awful silence in the first place. He chuckled softly, staring edgewise out of the window, "One would think setting a cauldron on fire such that it sprayed the inhabitants of the room with a potion deliberately meant to create delusion would call for more than a month's worth of detentions."

"And forty points from Gryffindor," Lily added in a small voice. She snuck a glance at her fellow housemate from the corner of her eye but he remained focused on the window.

She returned to the stack of papers, recognizing them as the handwriting of their Head Girl.

James moved to check his watch with a sigh just as he had done sixteen times before in the last half hour. However, the entrance of the awaited individual prevented him from doing so.

The door clicked shut gently behind Albus Dumbledore. The tall headmaster walked back to his seat behind the desk, facing the two Gryffindors when he sat.

"Madam Pomfrey informs that there will be no lasting damage to any of the students and for that we can all be grateful. And according to Professor Slughorn, it was merely a case of bad timing combined with misfortune. Nonetheless, the damage has been caused by your mistakes," he sent them a pointed look, "for which you should face consequences. But seeing as accidents are inevitable, I will not be taking away fifty points from Gryffindor. Instead, the two of you will have one more week of detention," the old headmaster finished. He raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

Lily and James were befuddled before James began nodding his head zealously only for Lily to join in moments later.

"Absolutely," James was saying.

"We deserve nothing less," Lily also started.

"…couldn't agree more…" James went on a little enthusiastically.

"…won't ever happen again…" Lily said simultaneously.

This didn't go on for much longer as the headmaster nodded and dismissed them with a grave, meaningful stare meant as an admonishment.

Lily and James never knew the door to be this inviting. With confirming nods and sincere or deeply regretful apologies, the two made their way out.

Professor Dumbledore watched their retreating shadows disappear past the stone gargoyle with a tired sigh. When the door's thud sounded, he removed his thin-rimmed spectacles gently, placing them with the same delicacy on the desk. He rubbed his weary eyes, quietly wondering for how long this might continue before either of them began acting their age around the other, before he would finally have some peace in the castle.

* * *

Lily walked in quick, short strides ahead of James with a determined if angry look on her face. James took longer steps but at a slower pace, yawning all the while. He ran a hand through his hair before tucking his hands in his pockets.

Lily snuck a glance at him. Watching how unperturbed he was only made her angrier.

How could he be so casual when he had with her held, she admitted to herself reluctantly, pushed the majority of their potions class into a mad delusion? It was a miracle they hadn't been as affected but they had, after all, been arguing by the supply cabinet a good deal away from their station at the other end of the classroom.

The most damage was dealt in the area closest to their cauldron.

Lily pulled her crossed arms tighter, sneaking another glance at his still blithe behavior. How selfish did you have to be this uncaring?

She halted suddenly, turning around to face him. She was now positively livid.

James stopped, raising a curious if somewhat confused eyebrow at her. The innocent look on his face was remarkable at this time, unknowingly increasing her fury at him.

She finally posed all her wonders at him in one agitated line of questions, "How can you be so bloody unconcerned? How can you yawn so when your mates are probably in the Hospital Wing with Merlin knows how many injuries? Didn't Remus suffer a concussion and Peter a quite severe sprain in addition to so much more? Only moments ago there was the question of permanent damage. Where the hell is your humanity?"

James assumed an expression wholly devoid of emotion. He took purposeful steps, closing the distance between them. She waited for him to stop but he kept on walking past her without another glimpse at her.

Her face darkened. She spun on her heel and ran a little to catch up to him.

"Well? Don't you have an answer?" Lily questioned to no avail. "Agrippa! This is priceless. Have you finally shut up? Have you really got nothing to say because you realize I'm right? Who knew that James Potter would ever learn to keep his mouth shut?"

She didn't see his jaw tighten as she went on, "…selfish and careless? Would it kill you to think of someone else for once?"

"What do you want, Evans?" came the biting retort. "A heart-wrenching apology? An acknowledgement of some sort?"

Lily faltered before regaining her infuriation, "That's exactly what I want. I want some kind of admission to believe that there might be a shred of humanity in you."

"You make it sound like someone's died," James put in wryly.

"Even if someone did, it wouldn't make a difference to you, would it? Why should it? You only care about yourself. Wake up, Potter! More people exist than just you…"

James stopped to address her. "Alright! Could you stop for the infinitesimal of seconds stop sounding like such a righteous, obnoxious, judgmental witch we both know you to be? No one got hurt!" he emphasized each word carefully as if the sentence might fly over her head like some very difficult, incomprehensible concept if he hadn't.

"They just as easily could have!" retorted Lily. "Which is something you can't seem to absorb. They could have easily suffered more dangerous injuries because of our recklessness and you just can't seem to be bothered seeing as it doesn't directly concern you or your physical health."

"You said so yourself that Remus and Peter had also suffered injuries…"

"But you didn't seem to be considering them a minute ago. Why is it a concern now?" Lily interjected, disallowing him from finishing his sentence.

James taut jaw didn't slacken in the slightest. He shook his head and moved to resume walking. Lily, however, stepped in his path, demanding answers.

"Go preach at someone who cares…"

"That's exactly what I mean. You don't care. Grow up, Potter! Grow up and realize that the world doesn't revolve around you. Isn't it time you started acting like a decent, mature human being?"

Lily shot him a chilling glare as she left him frozen.

James stared at the redhead distractedly. He hated those two words.

Running a tired hand through his hair in frustration, he chose a corridor leading to a direction opposite to the one Lily had chosen.

What Lily didn't realize is that she was sorely mistaken in asserting that he didn't care. But her misconception would never be corrected because as stubborn as she was, he was more so.

* * *

The cool water came up to his ankles. James pulled his hand over his shoulder and in one swift motion, threw the stone towards the water with a rapid spin acting on it. It jumped one time before plopping into the water with a small splash.

He picked up another smooth, oval stone, moving it in his hands, feeling the small depressions on it. He pulled his arm back and let the stone fly. Again, the stone didn't jump twice before it fell in.

He was usually quite skilled at skipping stones.

He bent down, shuffling a little to select a stone. A voice made his snap back into focus of the fact that he wasn't alone.

"I've seen you do it before. I've seen you make it jump at least four times and that's on an off day," Lily said softly, pensively. She was idly scratching her left elbow with the index finger of her right hand.

She looked at the gravel below and walked up to him. He remained impassive as she approached him.

"I saw you on my way to the library." There was really no need for her to say it. She sent him an inquiring look, "How do you do it? How are you able to keep it above water for so long? My longest was about three jumps and I almost threw my arm putting force behind the motion."

James' lip quirked almost as if he might smile but he didn't. He turned the stone in hand, "It's not about the power. The spin matters more."

Lily bit her lip, "Show me."

James glanced up at her. He turned around and obediently tossed the stone. It jumped four times, pulled drops of water every time it made contact with the water.

James' lips formed a crooked grin, "See? It's quite simple."

Lily nodded, picking up a round stone.

"No, not that one." James bent down, shuffling more lively than he had before. He picked up a thin, oval stone and handed it to her.

Lily took off her shoes and came to stand by him. She pulled her arm back. With occasional corrections as to form on his part, she tossed the stone. Flipping four times, it finally died, falling into the water with a soft splash.

Lily beamed up at him and he, to his surprise, responded similarly.

"That was impressive, Evans. Let's move on to the next level; this time with a more jagged stone." James bent down again, searching for the perfect stone.

"Lily," she murmured.

"Huh?" James looked up.

"It's my name. Reckon after six years it's time we called each other by our real names. We're a little old to be calling each other names that end with 'git' or 'prig', yeah?"

James grinned, "Yeah." After a moment, he returned to searching for the stone. Upon finding it, he straightened quickly and delved right into the spin needed to make the stone jump.

That day Lily admitted to herself that she was the one in the wrong. She learnt that maybe James Potter wasn't as bad as she had envisioned.

* * *

**A/N:- Reviews are always much appreciated, even if it is to tell me how horrible the story was. Just remember to put in the reason you hated/liked it. **

**Thanks for reading**


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